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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · mark · bank · suit · court · pound · pitcher · bear

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. march — the month
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bank — for money
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mark — a trace
  15. march — music
  16. bank — for money
  17. march — the month
  18. suit — in cards
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. court — of a king
  24. bank — of a river

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com